Home Safety for the Elderly

6 Tips to Keep Your Elderly Loved One's Home Safe

If you have elderly loved ones, then you understand the importance of keeping them safe. Chapel Hill is home to Always Best Care, which provides senior care in Orange County. Deciding whether or not your loved one is safe living on their own can be difficult, but knowing that they are being taken care of by home care professionals can make it easier. To increase your peace of mind, and ensure that your elderly loved one is as safe as possible, you can also follow these six tips to keep their home free of potential hazards.

1. Tidy cords. Extension cords, wires leading to a desktop computer, and even the cords belonging to lamps, the television, and small kitchen appliances can become dangerous if they are not in proper condition or kept out of the way. Inspect all cords and replace any that may be worn or damaged. If they are strung across a walkway or are in a position that could cause someone to trip and fall, move them.
2. Check all rugs. Tripping and falling over slippery rugs is a common way in which elderly individuals are hurt. Ensure that all rugs in the house are slip-resistant and that their ends lie flat. If a rug is too worn or poses a threat, replace it.
3. Regularly check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
4. Make sure that all electrical outlets and switches are working properly and are appropriately covered. Exposed wiring can be dangerous.
5. Inspect heat sources, be them space heaters, furnaces, or fireplaces. Ensure that space heaters are in a secure location and will not be knocked over. Likewise, fireplaces and wood burning stoves should be properly cleaned and ventilated.
6. Perform a walkthrough of the house to move any items that may be tripped over or slipped upon. Start in the living room, then inspect the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and any other commonly used space. Look for uneven flooring, obstructed paths, hazardous cords, and dangerous surfaces. Ensure that all areas are properly lit, are slip-resistant, and have adequate hand rails if necessary.

You may be worried about your elderly loved one living at home, but by keeping your loved one's home free from these hazards, and by entrusting Always Best Care in Chapel Hill with the responsibility of providing senior care (www.alwaysbestcarechapelhill-durham.com), you can have peace of mind and your family member can continue to live in the home they love.